Posted
by
samzenpus
on Thursday November 05, 2009 @12:39AM
from the great-wall-of-azeroth dept.

upto0013 writes "Chinese bureaucrats are battling each other for the right to regulate World of Warcraft. They hope to gain the political clout and the revenue that comes along with controlling a new industry with potential for explosive growth. 'If you supervise a more dynamic area with a lot of growth potential, you have more budget and more administrative muscle,' said Edward Yu, president of Analysys International, an Internet research firm in Beijing. 'They see this pie is getting bigger and bigger, so it is no wonder different administrations are fighting over pieces of that territory.' It's absurd how orcs and elves (and Moonkin) can affect so many different faraway places."

We had two bags of Fras Siabi's finest, seventy-five pellets of vision dust, five sheets of high-powered mana residue, a saltshaker half-full of R.O.I.D.S, and a whole galaxy of multi-colored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers... Also, a quart of sulfuron slammer, a quart of volatile rum, a case of dark iron ale, a pint of raw embalming fluid, and two dozen amyls. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get into locked a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can.

(Honestly though, this is a non-story: Several government department have partially overlapping areas of control so they argue about which one has the control on those areas. Those things happen a lot, especially with the internet and other new technology. In other areas those fights have already been settled a century or so ago.)

It's not really a non-story when last I heard, there are something like 6 MILLION accounts in China. Even if each of those only pays $1 a month (they're charged on a different schedule to us) that's a $72M/year business they're talking about. No wonder there's a turf war over who 'owns' it legislation-wise.

OK, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Western reporters in Beijing are total dumbasses. They constantly write stories colored by their own blinders they're not even aware that they're wearing. The story doesn't even mention that WoW/Netease problems getting a license in China has been going on for a while now and is nothing new. It's not really even a story, just a space filler - bureaucratic turf wars between communist ministries are news now? Anyhow, I just wanted to mention whenever you see that line at the top of the story, immediately mentally activate your BS detectors. If you want China news, there is no shortage of primary sources in English. Even my own small city district has its own website, with a translated English page. Here is a much better story from Shanghai Daily [chinadaily.com.cn], which lays out the issue in a much clearer fashion:

``The GAPP said downloading online games is also an "online publication". GAPP is responsible for reviewing and approving "publications", and the ministry has the right to regulate the "online game" market.''

Compelling story, eh? This is typical of what comes out of Western media in Beijing.

OK, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Western reporters in Beijing are total dumbasses. They constantly write stories colored by their own blinders they're not even aware that they're wearing.

The BBC as a company is different from the BBC as a broadcaster. The broadcaster may well be unbiased while the company protects its own interests. The difference is obviously that the broadcast is public and the company affairs are behind the scenes.

The chairman of the BBC called for the abolition of the TV license last week, in favour of having the BBC funded out of general taxation rather than a specific levy. The BBC has, in the past, covered stories of people protesting about the TV license and has included quotes from people opposed to it. Any time a public figure criticises the BBC, you will find a BBC story covering it, usually giving someone at the BBC an opportunity to respond, but not generally weighted towards the BBC. For some examples, look at this story [bbc.co.uk] and this one [bbc.co.uk].

How about the BBC becoming a private business and having to compete just like any other private business? I assume that the BBC is interested in good use of taxpayer funds rather than just a selfish enlarging of the pool of funds to which it has access.

No. I consider corporate interest ("corporate" in the sense of group not in the sense of corporation) of a news media organization to be a subcategory of reporting bias. And I am not mistaken in this consideration.

BBC programs are required to be objective and unbiased, and it seems they live up to that requirement more than most broadcasters.

I don't even see the point of making statements like the above. It doesn't matter what they are "required" to do. Being funded by a particular tax introduces a bias in their outlook that can't be removed with a "requirement". For some reason, I routinely read on Slashdot, smug yet naive boasting a

I consider corporate interest of a news media organization to be a subcategory of reporting bias.

WTF?

And I am not mistaken in this consideration.

Wow. Feeling self-confident today, aren't we?

I don't even see the point of making statements like the above. It doesn't matter what they are "required" to do. Being funded by a particular tax introduces a bias in their outlook that can't be removed with a "requirement".

Way to go. You link to an article by News Corp, the largest, most biased media organisation in the world which jumps at every chance to take a stab at the BBC.Your other links are to a blog that is fixated on the BBCs coverage of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, despite being the only major western news organisation with an extensive network in Palestine.

But if you think about it, everyone employed at the BBC is paid in large part from a tax. Why wouldn't they be so biased?

I don't even see the point of making statements like the above. It doesn't matter what they are "required" to do. Being funded by a particular tax introduces a bias in their outlook that can't be removed with a "requirement".

I don't disagree regarding your take on bias at the BBC, but your links could be a little more robust. Wanting to see "both sides" of an anti-poverty campaign, global warming, and multiculturalism doesn't strike me as an intelligent argument for bias.

I would hardly equate Starfall (instant cast, mobile player centred AOE) with Starfall (3 seconds cast, targetted nuke). The only things they have in common is they both have 'star' in the name, and they are both arcane spells.

I would hardly equate Starfall (instant cast, mobile player centred AOE, only available via talents) with Starfire (3 second cast targeted nuke, core spell). The only things they have in common is they both have 'star' in their names and are both arcane school spells.

Actually, I had some in depth talks with some friends from China about WoW.

They still only have level 70 because the government STILL hasn't "filtered" every last quest in WotLK for any themes that might contradict the Chinese government policies. I'm dead serious. The "censorship" is that horrific.

Not only that, but there are some really weird censorship issues you wouldn't expect. For example, there are no undead in Chinese WoW because the Chinese government won't allow any human bones to be shown in the game. So anywhere you see a skeleton, it had to be removed by Blizzard.

Not only that, but there are some really weird censorship issues you wouldn't expect. For example, there are no undead in Chinese WoW because the Chinese government won't allow any human bones to be shown in the game. So anywhere you see a skeleton, it had to be removed by Blizzard.

Well, if I made a MMORPG where everybody is naked and targeted it to the 13+ audience, I bet I would have to make some changes before it was published in the US. It is ultimately my problem if I designed thousands of NPCs while ignoring the culture of my target market.

Some things are cultural. Don't expect them to make a lot of sense. If Blizzard had planned for the Chinese market from the start, instead of undead you would have a different race and they wouldn't have to change a thing.

Hmm if it's truly a cultural issue, then wouldn't it be a self-regulating feedback loop?

In other words, if you're that offended by the game diong something repugnant to your culture, you won't play... end of problem.

It seems to me that the whole bones thing may go against certain cultural norms, but that the government is the one who has a problem with it.

I honestly don't know enough about Chinese cultural norms to know if showing bones is equivelent (to the Chinese) as your hypothetical MMORPG would be to America.

I keep trying to think about this from an outsider's perspective, but I keep getting back to "dude, it's just bones. if it bothers me, I won't look, but it doesn't so where's the harm?". There are one or two substitutions for the word "bones" that you could add that would make it illegal in the US, and where most members of our culture would even agree that it should be a crime.

Cultural relativism is a damn minefield.

I'll just go back to LFM H ToC 25 now and be happy that my culture allows me to waste my evenings and weekends in this manner.

Instead of warlords fighting for turf, you have civil servants fighting for budget. Progress. You also have the advantage that, unlike the US and the UK, you already have an overbearing, censorship-obsessed, fascist* slave state, so you don't have the civil servants fighting to get the budget to create one.

* anyone who thinks China is Communist doesn't understand either (a) the meaning of communism or (b) history.

Civil servants in this whole world have all been fighting for budget for thousand of years and try to waste/use-up whatever is left over before the next budget time, which continue today everywhere. lol

China would appear to me to meet the definition of a fascist state more than it does a communist state. The Chinese government is single-party, authoritarian, nationalistic, and while it plays lip service to old communist tropes like class struggle, in point of fact it has increased the stratification of its society into classes radically over the last two decades. It plays host to a large contingent of corporations that are hybrids of state and private control, and it manipulates its society through direct

China would appear to me to meet the definition of a fascist state more than it does a communist state. The Chinese government is single-party, authoritarian, nationalistic, and while it plays lip service to old communist tropes like class struggle, in point of fact it has increased the stratification of its society into classes radically over the last two decades. It plays host to a large contingent of corporations that are hybrids of state and private control, and it manipulates its society through direct and active control of religious institutions and public discourse.

That's the classic communist definition of 'fascism,' but it's also what most communist states invariably end up looking like. There's always a 'new class,' there's always lip service to communist tropes while the new class stratification is implemented, there's always corporations or corporation-equivalents, sometimes foreign based or sometimes 'design bureaus,' whose presense benefits the New Class more than the old one, and there's always control over public discourse and religious institutions. It happe

This is government at its simplest and most honest: the struggle for power and influence, consequences to the people be damned. Let those who would expand the powers of their own governments forget this at their peril.

This is about who gets to be in a position of demanding bribes to allow WOW in their country. This is about good old fashioned greed and doesn't have a damn thing to do with Orcs or Elves. Since this is seen as potentially very lucrative, people will fight to be in a position to exploit this. It's fundamentally no different than any other fight for territory.

I know the game is far from over, but I have seen the start of a movement of people just fed up of playing so much for so long, and wanting something different...WoW had its day, and even though I am a die hard fan, have my account and play alost everyday (.5 to 1.5 hours) I have to say I think WoWs days are limited, they are taking too much time between expansions (being the limit for lvling is rumored to be 100) so the next expansion is lvl 80 - 85, instead of the usual 10 lvls.....I think this is a mista

"25$ character transfer, 25$ character name change, then 15$ per month to play, 50$ per expansion or game.....it adds up quick as being the most expensive game to play EVER."

First off your prices are wrong. $15 to change your name, and xpacs are only $50 on release day.

$20 for the game, $20 for the first xpac, and $40 for the second xpac equals $80 to buy the game outright, today. In order to match the price of a SINGLE set of golf clubs, you'd need to buy (after the game) a name change, a character transf

He said 'game' not 'video game', and if I was to assume what he meant from the context, I would have assumed 'mmorpg' and not 'video game' in general anyways.

And it's not like your nitpick actually has anything to do with my point. Judging game to game, $20 for WoW is pretty fucking good, even if you only get the first 60 levels and all the dungeons that go with it. Spend another $20 for BC, and you get many more hours of play, new dungeons, a new continent, etc. Now you've spent less than you would have bu

Anyone who thinks WoW is expensive by any metric needs to spend some quality time with a math book.

WoW only looks like a bargain if you compare it with other disposable forms of entertainment with limited replay value....compared to buying a new console game every month WoW is a great deal. Compared to buying a chess set, WoW is a terrible waste of money in terms of both potential hours of entertainment and opportunity for meaningful social interaction.

Most expensive video game, you dolt.As for pricing, I guess in your neck of the woods, but I am telling you what spending is like HERE, in my neck of the woods, no, expansion packs are 50$ until 1 year has passed minimum, so the real hardcore players that all have their friends raiding within the first week, all the new raids and dungeons make you feel like your totally useless if you can't help out on the raids, so you go and buy the expansion that same week (not a year later when it is at 20$ as you say).

Well I gues mr.moneybags, that's the difference between us,I could send you a screenshot (ctrl+printscreen)...but I wont bother...as I can tell you seem a little too close minded to hear whatsomeone is saying other then your own opinion.

I have no other games I play at the moment except WoW, and I plan to not have any other until I finish WoW...(lvl100)...because I am that cheap.

I am a bit too old to be wasting money on games , more then about 100$ per year...is enough for me...so WoW gobbles all that up pre

Most with a normal life and a girlfriend they intend on keeping,don't play more then that, else they look like addicts....and yes I still plan on getting cataclysm....next wow expansion...I may get a splinter cell MMO or hitman MMO if they ever come out with one, however, I have been playing WoW exclusively for the last 3 years now, with much enjoyment, but without touchingany other games, as I just a have no more time then that to play.

ps- before you reply again about the time spent playing = a REAL player

Right now, it's late in the expansion and here's the problems that I'm seeing:

- The "B" team is obviously in charge. So many immersive RPG elements have been removed this year (3 days between server moves or name/race changes). And they continue to remove any sorts of barriers that make the game world feel real and not just a grind fest of teleporting to an instance then teleporting to another instance.

- The ToC raid (3rd in the series, Naxx -> Ulduar -> ToC) was a piss poor "toss the players in

Most players have gotten all of the alts they could want to level 80. Most have finished grinding out all WotLK reps to exalted that they care about and are basically biding their time (or trying to keep up with the raid progression).

Well, I guess I'm in the minority then. I'm still working on getting my first level 80 to exalted with the Wyrmrest Accord and with any luck and time this coming weekend, I'll get my 2nd level 80, but hey, I have a life.

I agree, but blizzard having made over close to a billion dollars off this game alone, with all the expansions, and time cards etc...etc... I have to say, when I have an issue and they tell me to just live with it, or when the server is down for a couple of days, and they do not bother giving a few extra days to your account to compensate, I have to say I am pretty darn furious, they are greedy, and the fact they keep milking their players trying to limit the lvls per expansion....what gives.

In otherwise functional nations (not broken ones like Somalia or North Korea), daily life is pretty similar for people who tow the line. There really cannot be too much dissimilarity between the humdrum of the average worker between equivalent societies. People eat, work, commute, sleep, etc.

Where societies diverge is usually in how they deal with problems and people who don't tow the line for whatever reason. That's where China becomes a scary place... nothing says oppression quite like killing a dissiden

If you're trying to draw a parallel between the Chinese Gov't and US Gov't because of some difficulty you had with taxes or some annoying permit you were required to get (probably by your local Gov't, and not even the Fed)... ahh, why am I even bothering trying to answer this rationally. Dude, read a book. I'd start with the dictionary and the definition of the "Authoritative." Then try reading a year's worth of articles about life in China. Then, reflect on how much of that information you wouldn't be reading if you lived in China (or what hoops you'd have to jump through to read it, and what consequences there would/could be for disseminating it.)

Then, put your money where your mouth is and move there and take your flippant attitude toward gov't with you. Please, express it loudly and unabashedly as much as possible. And then, after ten years, let's have this discussion again.

Actually, information blocking is rather unsuccessful today because of the widespread use of internet and cheap cell phone plans with internet access (which is darn expensive in Canada).
People have been using "same sound words" in Chinese and many other literature/language related methods to bypass automatic filtering or terms catching. Basically, because of the huge numbers of Chinese words that sounds the same or mean the same with or without combinations, it becomes impossible to catch until the author

The fact that this comment is moderated insightful is quite indicative of the ridiculous anti-China bias present in all Western countries and promulgated by all Western media. Perhaps it's because we are out-competing you in the global economy, perhaps it is some fear of "communism", perhaps it is straight up racism.

It's really easy to seem insightful when in reality you're spewing garbage if you're surrounded by people who agree with you.

Human rights is a very real issue in China (morally/ethically), so I wouldn't down play it's value. I do agree however that it's being trumpeted to cover up the fact America is vastly in debt and facing some serious economic competition. It's all sour grapes really.

As for caring about freedoms. Well, I'm sure that might be true of the Mao generation. However, the people that I've had a chance to talk too (they all spoke English) were University students and under 30. Every one of those in that group value f

I guess that depends on the area you live in and what class you're in.

Normally, if you move back to China from say USA or Canada, you're probably some business people or finance people or... in general middle class or above. Companies that hire these level of people generally treat their workers in a relatively reasonable way. And they often have a good chance to earn a lot in mainland also.

So long as you don't try to anger the government, life in major cities are not so bad (except the housing pri

People - and expecially in the US - I'm sorry to say, tend to judge others exclusively from their own background, without trying to understand what the actual differences are. Thus, "it must be bad to live in China" - because you can't earn as much money as in America and you don't have the same sort of freedom as in America and so on. However, if you talk to people, as I have, you find that they don't see it that way.

My own background is that I am married to a Chinese - ten years, now - and have family the